obiwanknabbe

I was talking to my wife about this earlier and thought it would be a interesting topic. How did sword makers advertise their work? Did they have signs or ads in the moderns sense? Price lists? Were features or higher end fittings priced like we see today as add-ons? Or was it all just word of mouth?

I'm just leary of ebay. Been burned too many times in the past.

I was wondering if anyone knew of a reputable source for antique Japanese coins? Ryu, oban, koban ect. I have a few ichibu nishukin and nishugin but would like to add some of the larger coins to my collection. Clark Smith has a few but the inventory does not update often.advance. These are the few I have now. Thanks in advace.

Kazuhiro would like me to make it known that he will accept reasonable offers on this blade if anyone is interested.

This has all the looks of a komonjo ebay sword. Its possible that it started as a real blade of some type, but everything about it was tempered with or faked.

46+ now, but I started collecting in my teens. I imagine many of us got our starts because of martial arts training and how it connected us to Japanese culture and history. I do further suspect that much of our training is owed to having grown up on B ninja movies in the 80s (zodiacally also known as the decade of Chuck Norris), and early exposure to the seven samurai on late night tv.

Ok.. rabbit hole... where motoyasu and mototake brothers?

My wife surprised the ever living heck out of me with this amazing birthday gift. An exceptionally wide wakizashi made by Motoyasu. Can anyone tell me more about this maker? Another name perhaps?. I can't seem to find anything about him other than the he was possibly a Satsuma smith. Came with some nice fittings and an iron tsuba signed Mototake.

Does anyone have any thicker pins? My wife bought me a sword for my birthday (am I a lucky man or what!), but the mekugi was frail and snapped. I dont have any spares.

Hi Bruce, This is one I didn't upload earlier. While is smaller, it's more clear if you zoom in. I'll ask for more.

I'll see if I can get a better one. It's a re-upload of a message so it may be reducing the quality a bit.

A few more pictures have been supplied. If anyone would like to see anything specific, please ask.

Adding some information another member requested Motohaba-3.15cm. Sakihaba-2.1cm. kiisaki-3.6cm. Nakago-Ubu. Nakagojiri-Kengyo. yasurime-Sujikai. Mekugiana-1.